Pinch-hitting in the 10th inning, Bob Watson came through with a run-scoring double to give the Astros a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers. Al Downing, who started for the Dodgers, pitched seven scoreless innings before giving way to Mike Marshall. The Astros then scored two runs in the eighth. Greg Gross doubled and Cesar Cedeno singled. Willie Crawford bobbled the ball, Gross scoring, and when the right fielder made a poor throw to third for a second error, Cedeno also crossed the plate. However, both runs became earned when Lee May followed with a double.

The Dodgers tied the score in the ninth. Steve Garvey singled, leading to the removal of Larry Dierker. Ken McMullen then batted for Crawford and homered to send the game into extra innings. Ken Forsch was the Astros' winner in relief when Gross singled off Charlie Hough in the 10th. Cedeno sacrificed and Watson doubled, batting for Dave Campbell. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Game Played on Wednesday, September 18, 1974 (Night game) at Dodger Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  2  0    1  -   3 10  0
Dodgers      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  2    0  -   2 10  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Howard lf             5   0   0   0     0   3   .247      Lopes 2b              5   0   1   0     0   0   .270
Gross rf              5   2   3   0     0   1   .309      Buckner lf            4   0   1   0     0   0   .313
Cedeno cf             3   1   1   0     1   0   .274      Wynn cf               5   0   1   0     0   1   .271
L. May 1b             4   0   1   0     0   1   .270      Garvey 1b             5   1   1   0     0   2   .324
  Milbourne pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .283      Crawford rf           2   0   2   0     1   0   .298
  Campbell 1b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .091        McMullen ph,3b      2   1   2   2     0   0   .269
  Watson ph           1   0   1   1     0   0   .298        Royster pr          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Gallagher pr,1b     0   0   0   0     0   0   .179      Cey 3b                3   0   1   0     0   1   .272
Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     1   2   .257        Auerbach pr         0   0   0   0     0   0   .349
M. May c              5   0   1   0     0   0   .296        Hough p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Helms 2b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .280        Brewer p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Metzger ss            2   0   0   0     1   1   .261        Manuel ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .500
Dierker p             3   0   1   0     0   0   .176      Ferguson c            3   0   1   0     1   0   .242
  Cosgrove p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .059      Russell ss            3   0   0   0     1   0   .271
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Downing p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .172
                                                            Mota ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .288
                                                            Marshall p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .219
                                                            Joshua ph,rf        1   0   0   0     0   0   .246

Totals               36   3  10   1     3   8             Totals               37   2  10   2     3   5

Time of Game: 2:46   Attendance: 26,165
Left on Base: Astros 9, Dodgers 10
DP: Astros 1, Dodgers 1
Errors: Crawford 2
Doubles: Gross (15), L. May (26), Watson (18), Crawford (22), Lopes (26), Cey (19)
Home Runs: McMullen (3)
Caught Stealing: Wynn (15)
Sacrifice Hits: Dierker (11), Metzger (21), Cedeno (2), Buckner (4)
Hit by Pitch: Cey (7,by Dierker)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 8     5   1   1   2   5   0  31   2.86
Cosgrove                0     1   1   1   0   0   1   1   3.40
Forsch W(6-7)           2     4   0   0   1   0   0  10   2.83
Totals                 10    10   2   2   3   5   1  42

Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Downing                 7     4   0   0   3   6   0  28   3.53
Marshall                2     4   2   2   0   2   0   9   2.35
Hough L(8-4)            0.1   2   1   1   0   0   0   3   3.96
Brewer                  0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   2.67
Totals                 10    10   3   3   3   8   0  42

Hit by Pitch: Dierker (6)

Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - John McSherry, 3B - Chris Pelekoudas


ASTROS 1ST: Howard struck out; Gross struck out; Cedeno grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Lopes grounded out (first unassisted); Buckner
flied out to left; Wynn flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 2ND: L. May flied out to right; Rader grounded out (third
to first); M. May singled to left; Helms singled to right [M.
May to third]; Metzger grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Garvey struck out; Crawford doubled to right; Cey
struck out; Ferguson walked; Russell grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Dierker grounded out (second to first); Howard
struck out; Gross singled to left; Cedeno walked [Gross to
second]; L. May struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0,
Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Downing struck out; Lopes flied out to left;
Buckner popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Rader struck out; M. May grounded out (second to
first); Helms grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 4TH: Wynn singled to left; Garvey struck out while Wynn
was caught stealing second (catcher to second); Crawford singled
to third; Cey flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger walked; Dierker out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to first) [Metzger to second]; Howard grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Metzger to third]; Gross grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 5TH: Ferguson flied out to center; Russell flied out to
right; Downing flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno grounded out (second to first); L. May popped
to catcher in foul territory; Rader walked; M. May flied out to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 6TH: Lopes doubled to left; Buckner out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Lopes to third]; Wynn struck out;
Garvey flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Helms grounded out (second to first); Metzger struck
out; Dierker singled to center; Howard grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 7TH: Crawford walked; Cey was hit by a pitch [Crawford
to second]; Ferguson lined to center; Russell flied out to
center; MOTA BATTED FOR DOWNING; Mota lined to second; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 8TH: MARSHALL REPLACED MOTA (PITCHING); Gross doubled to
left; Cedeno singled to right [Gross scored (error by Crawford)
(no RBI), Cedeno scored (error by Crawford)]; L. May doubled to
center; MILBOURNE RAN FOR L. MAY; Rader was called out on
strikes; M. May lined into a double play (shortstop to second)
[Milbourne out at second]; 2 R, 3 H, 2 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2,
Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 8TH: CAMPBELL REPLACED MILBOURNE (PLAYING 1B); Lopes
grounded out (third to first); Buckner grounded out (second to
first); Wynn popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2,
Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 9TH: Helms singled to right; Metzger out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Helms to second]; Dierker flied out to
right; Howard struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2,
Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 9TH: Garvey singled to left; COSGROVE REPLACED DIERKER
(PITCHING); MCMULLEN BATTED FOR CRAWFORD; McMullen homered
[Garvey scored]; FORSCH REPLACED COSGROVE (PITCHING); Cey
doubled to right; AUERBACH RAN FOR CEY; Ferguson singled to
right [Auerbach out at home (right to catcher), Ferguson to
second (on throw to home)]; Russell was walked intentionally;
JOSHUA BATTED FOR MARSHALL; Joshua grounded out (pitcher to
first) [Ferguson to third, Russell to second]; Lopes grounded
out (third to first); 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Dodgers 2.

ASTROS 10TH: MCMULLEN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); HOUGH
REPLACED AUERBACH (PITCHING); JOSHUA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING
RF); Gross singled to right; Cedeno out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to first) [Gross to second]; WATSON BATTED FOR
CAMPBELL; Watson doubled to left [Gross scored]; GALLAGHER RAN
FOR WATSON; BREWER REPLACED HOUGH (PITCHING); Rader flied out to
center; M. May grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 3, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 10TH: GALLAGHER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Buckner
singled to right; Wynn forced Buckner (pitcher to shortstop);
Garvey popped to first in foul territory; McMullen singled to
right [Wynn to third]; ROYSTER RAN FOR MCMULLEN; MANUEL BATTED
FOR BREWER; Manuel popped to shortstop; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 3, Dodgers 2.